Georgia, the land of winemaking and vineyards, will celebrate its largest ever European Heritage Days on 17th and 18th September 2016, with the theme “Intercultural Relationships and Shared Heritage.”  Within the scope of this year’s common focus on “Heritage and Communities,” the theme will explore different aspects of heritage in order to promote its diversity. A total of dozens of events in total will be organised in the capital Tbilisi and numerous other towns and villages across the country to highlight shared European values and cultural richness of the country. 

“I am happy to say that for the third consecutive year of the celebration of European Heritage Days in Georgia we already have a considerable increase in a number of events,” notes Salome Jamburia, National Coordinator of European Heritage Days in Georgia.

The festival will be joined by city Zugdidi in the Samegrelo region, Kvareli in the Khakheti region and Kutaisi in the Imereti region, as well as the villages Chkvishi (Imereti), Skvitori (Imereti), Mirzaani (Kakheti). Compared to the last year when the festival was celebrated only in an old industrial town Chiatura, the third edition of European Heritage Days will offer greater possibilities to find out more about Georgia’s history and culture. Focusing on multiple aspects of tangible and intangible heritage, this year’s theme will aim to help the visitors better understand the concept of heritage and how it affects our everyday lives.

“I believe that European Heritage Days are a quintessential example for demonstrating a creative engagement of the past into the present and this is what we need to enrich the way people experience heritage. EHDs give us an opportunity to raise awareness about the diversity of heritage, to help people in better understanding a term ‘heritage’ that includes way more than the grand monuments, ancient churches and archaeological treasures. EHD's allow organizers to expose every value that one could attribute to heritage including social, cultural, educational, and historical etc. For that very reason we aim at expanding the celebration of EHDs in Georgia year by year to ensure that the pleasure and benefit that heritage offers are shared and experienced by all,” adds Jamburia.

Georgia’s European Heritage Days events will significantly enrich this year's festival, presenting new places and new approaches to interpreting heritage. Visitors will be able to learn more about both their immediate surroundings and the general concept of heritage in order to understand, share and appreciate its values every day.